Rain shield for windows



April 22, 1958 F. J. Dl GIROLAMO 2,831,417

RAIN SHIELD FOR WINDOWS Filed Oct. 12, 1953 INVENTOR. FRANK J DiG/ROLA N0 AGE'NT United st Pa jfjQ 2,831,417 RAIN SHIELD FOR wn'snows Frank Joseph DiGirolamo, New York, N. Y. Application October 12, 1953, Serial No. 385,431 2 Claims. (21. its-99.5

My invention relates to a rain shield for windows,

designed to afford protection against rain water without materially interfering with the circulation of air through the partly opened window.

In many conventional windows, each sash is guided for vertical sliding movement in a pair of lateral channels, the inner sash being furthermore receivable in a horizontal recess of the sill when in its bottom or closed position. It is customary to insert, during warm weather, extensible mosquito screens into this bottom recess and into the lower portions of the side channels for the inner sash, whereupon the latter may be lowered into contact with the screen to provide an effective barrier against insects. The mosquito screens fit, in general, rather loosely inside the grooves or channels of the frame so as to leave a certain clearance all around.

Heretofore, it has been necessary in the event of rain to remove the mosquito screen from the frame to enable closure of the window. This was inconvenient because of the manipulation involved, because the change-over afforded insects an opportunity to enter, and also because the occupants were compelled to shut their windows tight before leaving the house in uncertain weather. My invention has for its object the elimination of all of these inconveniences by providing a rain shield adapted to cooperate with mosquito screens of the aforedescribed character and to keep out the rain without requiring the closure of the window or the removal of the screen.

My invention resides, essentially, in the provision of an expansible, chute-like member with substantially triangular side walls and an outwardly projecting flange adapted to fit in the aforementioned clearance left by the mosquito screen in the frame channels. This member preferably comprises a wire frame and a sheath of water-repellent material detachably mounted on the frame. The frame may be so shaped as to define only two of the three edges of each triangular side wall, the third edge being formed by the sheath itself which, owing to its flexibility, adapts itself to the horizontal recess in the sill so as to form the bottom portion of said flange.

The invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the lower part of a window equipped with a mosquito screen and with a rain shield according to the invention (part of the flexible sheath being broken away to expose the Wire frame);

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the wire frame about to be introduced into or removed from the flexible sheath.

The window frame 10, Figs. 1 and 2, comprises a sill 11 and jambs 12. Each jamb forms an inner guide channel 13 for a sash 14 and an outer guide channel 15 for another sash (not shown), the sill 11 being recessed 2 at 16 to receive the sash 14 when the latter is lowered to its bottom position.

A mosquito screen 17, of known construction, is inserted in the U-shaped groove constituted by the recess 16 and the lower reaches of channels 13 (only one of which is visible in the drawing). This screen comprises a pair of side members 18, fitting with clearance in the respective channels 13 as best seen in Fig. 2, mating rails 19, 20 at the top and also at the bottom, and wire netting 21, 22 held in overlapping and relatively displaceable positions by the frame 18, 19, 20. Sash 14 rests with its lower edge on upper rails 19, 20 and on the tops of side members 18.

p The rain shield 23, as best seen in Fig. 3, comprises a wire frame composed of two angularly bent wire members 24, 25 slidably fitted together by means of sleeves 26. Thus, the size of the frame may be varied between a length substantially corresponding to that of a single wire member 24 or 25 and approximately twice that length.

Each wire member, as shown particularly for member 24,

comprises a lower horizontal leg 24a, a vertical portion 24b, a short shoulder piece 240, a transverse horizontal arm 24d, and an upper horizontal leg 24c parallel to leg 24a. It will be apparent that portions 24b and 24d denfie two edges of a triangular side wall 23a (Fig. 2) and that shoulder piece 240 together with portion 24b defines a lateral flange portion 23b (Fig. l) fitting inside the clearance left by screen 17 in channel 13.

A flexible sheath 27 fits over the expansible wire frame 24, 25 and is provided with a pair of triangular ends substantially conforming to the side walls of the shield 23, one end 27a being closed, the other end 27b being open and provided with snap fasteners 28 so that it can be closed after having been drawn over the wire portions 24b, 24c, 24d defining side wall 23a. From Fig. 2 it will be apparent that sheath 27 is angularly bent at the point where it enters the recess 16 in sill 11, thereby forming an inclined main portion or chute 23b and a bottom flange portion 230 for the shield 23.

The sheath 27 may consist of 'a plastic sheet, coated fabric or other water-repellent material and is preferably transparent or translucent so as not unduly to restrict the admission of daylight through the window. When the frame 24, 25 is contracted for use on a window of smaller Width, the sheath will accommodate itself to the reduced size by forming wrinkles or ruflles without impairing the performance of the shield.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that I have provided an adjustable rain shield, adapted to fit windows of various sizes, which realizes .the object of the invention and eliminates the drawbacks initially stated. Numerous modifications of the arrangement herein disclosed are, of course, possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Iclaim: i

1. A rain shield for a window frame having side channels and a bottom groove, said shield comprising: an expansible frame of closed configuration composed of elongated, angularly adjoining members including a lower horizontal member fitting inside said groove, upstanding side members fitting in said side channels and connected to respective ends of said lower horizontal member, said upstanding members having their upper ends inwardly bent into an offset, transverse, substantially horizontal members extending forwardly from said offset of said upstanding members, respectively, and an upper horizontal member interconnecting the forward ends of said transverse members; means on said lower and upper horizontal members enabling longitudinal adjustment thereof; and flexible sheath means detachably enveloping said expansible frame, said sheath means forming an inclined main wall between .said horizontal members and forming a pair of substantially triangular side walls between said transverse and said upstanding members, said isheathmeans comprising a single tubular ;ease inf sheet material terminating in a pair of roughly triangular ends and having means for closing ,said'case around said expansible frame, the junction between said main wall and :said triangular side walls .being formed by a pair of inclined edges unoccupied by said expansible-frame.

2. Arain shieldaccording toclaim 1, wherein said expansible frame has two substantially identical halves each consisting of an .angularly bent wire and two guide sleeves 4 heterences Cited in the .file at this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Carscadin June 11, 1912 Orth Oct. 7, 1913 Naterm'an Nov. 27, 1923 Grigsby June 14, 1927 Niers Oct. 18, 1927 Hires Jan. 10, 1928 Smith Apr. 19, 1929 Kurtz Apr. 29, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Great-Britain July 6, 1922 

